Never Stop
by Caught In A Simple Game
Summary: Pamela's feisty niece Acelynn comes to visit one summer, and she and Jeremy become fast friends. Even after she returns to Boston, they keep in touch and remain close friends. At what point does a friendship become something more? (Cliche J. Sherwood/OC story.)
1. You Can't Hold Me Down

**A/N: Couldn't help but start a Jeremy Sherwood fanfic. I miss him on the show! This story will probably end up spanning over a few years. It starts slow and picks up later. The story and chapter titles are from SafetySuit lyrics.**

**AU Notes: For the purposes of this story, Amanda is a year younger than Jeremy. He was never abusive towards Denise. **

Acelynn sighed as she threw the last couple of shirts into her duffle bag before zipping it up and setting the bag in the hallway. She turned back to where her boyfriend was seated on her bed and put her hands on her hips.

"Alex, I told you this was happening. We've talked about it several times. Did you think I was fighting with you for fun?"

"No, but I guess I thought maybe you'd change your mind and want to stay and spend the summer with me here," Alex scoffed. "I guess I was wrong."

Acelynn rolled her eyes and groaned. She picked up his hands and kissed him chastely. "We're only sixteen. Next year – senior year – is going to be amazing. We'll be together. We'll get to do all the fun things together – games and dances and trips. At the same time, we're a year away from graduating high school and I've barely been out of Boston. My aunt needs my help this summer, so I'm going to Charleston. Will it really be so hard for you to wait three months for me?"

Alex shrugged. "You know what, Ace, don't even worry about it. You go down there and do your thing. Maybe I'll be here waiting for you, maybe I won't."

He kissed her cheek roughly before stomping out of the house. Acelynn sighed and ran a hand through her hair. Her father came in a few seconds later with a frown.

"What's with Alex?"

"I think we just broke up," Acelynn sighed. "I'm ready to go."

"You don't have to go this summer if it's going to cause problems with Alex," her father assured her. "You can stay here and – I'll spring for Red Sox tickets for you two. You can patch things up."

She sighed again. If it had been more difficult convincing anyone other than Alex that she was going to Charleston this summer, it had been her father. But, when her aunt Pamela had called and asked for help with the kids while school was out, Acelynn jumped on the opportunity. To her, it was a life experience; something she could look back and say she had done before she graduated. Maybe helping watch her younger cousins wasn't exactly a glamorous way to say she had gone outside of Boston – hell, outside of Massachusetts – but still. She was going to live somewhere else for a few months, and to Acelynn McGrath, that was something.

"Daddy, if I pass up those Red Sox tickets to go see Aunt Pamela in South Carolina, will that finally convince you that I _really _want to go?"

Her father sighed. "Sweetie, I just think you're risking a lot by letting Alex walk out and then leaving for three months."

Acelynn took a deep breath and pulled her father down to sit next to her on the bed. "I know that you met Mom when you were fourteen, and that you fell in love the moment you met her. I know that you were inseparable, and that Alex and I have followed that pattern up until now. I also know that if I don't ever get out of Boston – and I'm not saying this to hurt you – that I will leave Alex one day, just like she left you. I don't want to be like her."

He leaned over and kissed her forehead. "You sound just like her when you say things like that. You're right, Ace. I'm sorry. Get your bag, and I'll take you to the airport."

She jumped up with a squeal and kissed her father's cheek. "Thank you, Daddy."

.&.

Pamela Moran anxiously searched the travelers at the Charleston airport for any sign of her niece. She had been more than relieved when not only did Acelynn agree to come down and help her with the kids for the summer, but Acelynn's stubborn father also agreed to allow the girl to come. Pamela knew that her brother kept close tabs on Acelynn, but Acelynn had still somehow managed to develop a personality that allowed her to hold her own. She wasn't outspoken on most occasions, but she was no doormat, either – no doubt that she was related to Pamela.

Finally, a petite girl in a Red Sox shirt and denim cutoffs came into her view. Her long dark hair was anchored in a braid to one side of her head, and her jade green eyes sparkled with excitement.

"Aunt Pamela!" she greeted with enthusiasm, running for the familiar face. She embraced her aunt fiercely. "It's so good to see you!"

"You, too," Pamela replied with sincerity. "Do you have bags?"

"Just one," Acelynn replied. "Are Katie and Lucas with you?"

Pamela shook her head. "Day came. From eleven to four you and I are on our own. I know I asked you to come down and help, and believe me, I'll still need plenty of help. Chase's new job has a tendency to steal him away at really inopportune moments and leave me without much help."

"What about the women you told me about? The ones who helped you when you were in labor?"

Pamela smiled as she directed her niece towards baggage claim. "You'll meet them, too. But they have their own families, so I can't rely on them all the time. And now, with the radio show –"

"Radio show?" Acelynn interjected. "That's great!"

"I've got a lot to catch you up on. Find your bag and I'll fill you in on the way to the house."

By the time they were back at the house, Pamela had filled Acelynn in on everything that had gone on the last few months at Fort Marshall. She had a basic idea of where everything was located, although she was sure she would get lost at some point.

"There's a great group of kids your age on the post," Pamela said, showing Acelynn the kids' room where she could keep her things. "I'll introduce you to some of them so you can fill your time while the kids are at camp and at night."

Acelynn frowned. "But I'm here to help you."

"I know that," Pamela assured. "But I _also _know that you've never really been out of Boston. I can't let you out without boundaries, but you've got to live a little. Have fun while you're here, Ace."

Acelynn smiled. "Thanks."

.&.

A few days later, Acelynn was on the beach with Pamela and Roxy, soaking up the sun and enjoying the warm ocean water. She hadn't been in Carolina for long, and hadn't done much but spend time with Pamela and the kids, but she already loved it. For all she cared, she could move here and be perfectly content.

"Ace, do you mind walking down to the concession stand over there? I thought I packed the water bottles, but maybe not," Pamela asked.

"Sure," Acelynn shrugged. She accepted a couple of bills from her aunt and went on her way.

The line at the stand wasn't too long; Acelynn purchased three bottled waters and walked back to where the women were laying out. The breeze was just enough to make the hot weather perfectly warm, blowing in off the ocean. She walked along the surf, reveling in the goosebumps that formed on her skin at the sudden change in temperature. She closed her eyes and turned her face up towards the sun. Now if only she could set Fenway Park right there on the –

"I'm so sorry," someone was telling her.

Acelynn opened her eyes and shook her head. In the midst of her reverie, she had run smack dab into someone – or that someone had knocked into her – leaving Acelynn flat on her back. She squeezed her eyes a few times to regain her orientation, then accepted the hand extended out to her.

"I think that may have been my fault," Acelynn told him. "I should have been watching where I was going."

"I was trying to catch a Frisbee, so I had my back to you – even if you were watching, I think I might have run into you. Are you all right?"

Acelyn nodded and finally looked up at the boy with sandy brown hair and hazel eyes. She dusted the sand from her backside and extended her hand.

"I'm Acelynn."

He accepted her handshake with a smile. "I'm Jeremy. Are you new around here?"

"Kind of," Acelynn answered. "I'm visiting my aunt for the summer."

"Ace, you okay?" Pamela asked, suddenly approaching them. "You took a good spill there."

"Oh, the water!" Acelynn said, turning to look for the bottles – they were already floating out to the ocean. "I'm sorry. I wasn't paying attention and –"

"It was my fault, Mrs. Moran," Jeremy interrupted.

"I think it was a mutual thing," Acelynn added.

Pamela carefully inspected her niece for any injuries, noting a scrape on her elbow. "That looks rough. I've got to get back for the radio show, anyway. We'll get going and get you cleaned up."

"Okay." Acelynn reached out to shake Jeremy's hand again. "It was nice to meet you, Jeremy. Maybe I'll see you around."

"Yeah, maybe."

She walked back towards the towels and just before she reached down to pick hers up, she felt a hand on her shoulder. Turning around, she once again saw Jeremy's face, smiling back at her.

"Some of us are going to a movie on post tonight," Jeremy informed her. "You should come – if it's all right with you, Mrs. Moran."

Pamela and Roxy shared a knowing smile. "It's fine with me, but your call, Ace."

Acelynn considered it for a moment, then shrugged. "Sure, I'll go. What time?"

"I'll pick you up at seven," Jeremy offered. "I'm picking up the Holden girls, too."

They worked out a few other details, then parted ways. Once back in the van, Pamela glanced in the rearview mirror at Acelynn's smile.

"How's the elbow?"

"It's fine," Acelynn assured.

"You and Jeremy Sherwood seemed to hit it off, even in just those few minutes," Roxy commented.

Acelynn shook her head. "I'm sure he's just trying to be nice."

"She's been dating the same kid for almost three years," Pamela informed Roxy. "How do you think Alex is going to feel about you going out with another guy tonight?"

Acelynn rolled her eyes. "It's not like a date. He said there would be other people there. And besides, Alex and I broke up before I came down here."

"You didn't tell me that!"

"He didn't want me coming down here. I wasn't about to pass up an opportunity to get out of Boston."

"You don't like it there?" Roxy asked.

"No, it's not that. I just haven't ever lived anywhere else, and even on a week or two vacation, it's difficult to get a feel for another place. I didn't want to say I'd never been anywhere else but Boston."

"Fair enough," Roxy said with a nod. Another exchanged look with Pamela told her she would hear more about that story later.

Acelynn was just out of the shower, trying to decide what to wear when Pamela knocked on the door. Acelynn greeted her with a smile.

"I can't decide what to wear. I feel like it's always cold in a movie theater, but it is so warm outside."

"I'd go jeans and a tank top," Pamela suggested. "Tell me what happened with Alex. You don't even seem that bummed."

Acelynn let out a deep breath and dropped down to the bed. "Probably because I'm not. You know, when Alex and I first met, it was this crazy dream thing – everything was so much like my parents. Then, it just got more and more like my parents. Alex wants to be a cop, and he wants to marry someone who wants to stay at home with the kids, but I don't want to stay at home with the kids. I don't really know what I want to do yet, but stay at home mother isn't it. No offense, Aunt Pamela."

"None taken," Pamela assured her. "I know you're worried about ending up like your mother, Ace, but I think you should not worry so much. You're smart and level-headed. I have to admit though, I think it's good you and Alex are spending some time apart. I'm sorry it caused a break-up, but you've got to take opportunities while you can. I think you did the right thing."

"Thanks," Acelynn smiled. "I'd better get dressed. Jeremy and the other girls will be here soon."

Pamela excused herself from the room, keeping a smile on her face. She and Acelynn had always remained close, despite the physical distance between them, especially after Acelynn's mother left. In the rougher teenage years, it made her feel good that Acelynn wasn't shutting her out.

.&.

"One of Amanda's friends decided she wanted to go to the movie too, but didn't have a ride so Amanda got her parents' car. We'll meet them at the theater," Jeremy explained.

"And I guess I'll figure out who these people are when we get there," Acelynn chuckled.

Jeremy winced. "I'm sorry, I guess I should explain. Amanda is my age – she and Emmalin are Major Sherwood's daughters. He's the post commander. My dad is a colonel. I've grown up with the Holdens since our dads always seem to get stationed on the same post."

"You light up a little bit when you talk about Amanda," Acelynn noted out loud, not at all bothered by that fact.

"Yeah," Jeremy drew out with a blush. "I've had a thing for her for a while, I guess. She's usually away at boarding school, but since she came home this time – it's been a little different."

"Well I don't want to give her the wrong idea about you bringing a random girl with you."

"It'll be fine. Amanda knows I'm interested in her, and she knows I'm not a two-timing kind of guy. I just figure you'll have a better summer if you have a group of people to hang out with."

"Thanks for taking on a charity case," Acelynn teased.

"I don't mean it like that," Jeremy laughed, pulling the car into a parking spot. "How old are you anyway?"

"Sixteen. I'll turn seventeen just before I go back to Boston."

"You're Amanda's age then. Emmalin is a year younger than you two – I'll bet you two will get along well."

Acelynn wasn't sure how he could make a deduction like that since he didn't know her too well, but she just shrugged and went along with it. She made sure she had her money in pocket and her jacket on hand, then took a deep breath as Jeremy led her inside to meet the others.


	2. Moments of Feeling Alive

The movie outing went better than Acelynn expected. Amanda and Emmalin both liked Acelynn, and she enjoyed their company as well. She seemed to have the most in common with Jeremy, but tried to give him space to stay close to Amanda. Sparks weren't necessarily flying between Jeremy and Amanda, but Acelynn was happy for her new friends that something seemed to be brewing between them. The girl that came with Amanda, Karin, was the only one who didn't seem fond of Acelynn. Acelynn shrugged it off; she wasn't one to bother with people who didn't want to bother with her.

For the first couple of weeks in Carolina, Acelynn's days were the same. She spent the mornings with Pamela and the kids, the afternoons with Pamela and Roxy, and sometimes Claudia Joy and Denise. After supper with Pamela and the kids, she would meet up with either Jeremy, the Holden girls, or all three of them. She was thoroughly enjoying her summer and was glad that time wasn't going by too quickly.

One day she was putting away some laundry in the room she was sharing with Katie and Lucas when she heard cheering from the front room. She dropped the shirt she'd had in her hand and smiled when she saw what all the cheering was about.

"I don't want to interrupt this happy homecoming, but could I maybe hug my favorite uncle?" Acelynn piped up.

Chase looked up from his family and grinned. He grabbed Acelynn's hand and pulled her into a big bear hug before throwing her over his shoulder. Katie and Lucas laughed from the ground.

"Ace of Spades," Chase laughed, dropping Acelynn onto the couch. "How are you liking it down South?"

"I love it," she replied with a giggle. "I don't want to go back to Boston, but don't tell my dad that."

Chase laughed. "No, I don't suppose he'd like to be in the know on that one."

Acelynn pushed herself up off the couch and gave her aunt and uncle a wiser-than-her-years, knowing grin. "Katie and Lucas, let's go to the park. I'm sure Daddy needs to rest, and Mommy needs to catch him up on … grown up things."

Pamela mouthed a 'thank you.' "That's right. And, if you need anything, the scones are at Roxy's house."

Acelynn laughed as she slipped into a pair of flip-flops. Pamela and Roxy had let her in on their little code word, so she knew she had been to suggest taking the kids to the park. She heard the lock click behind her and couldn't help but laugh again as she cautioned the kids to look carefully before crossing the street.

Roxy and the LeBlanc kids were already at the little park in the enlisted living area, so Acelynn plopped down in the chaise lounge chair next to Roxy.

"Hey," Roxy greeted cheerfully. "What are you doing here?"

"Chase just got home – I think there was a mention of scones."

Roxy laughed. "Yes, that explains it very well. Well, I'm trying to tire these boys out, so feel free to stay out here with me as long as you want."

"Thanks. I love being outside here, no matter how hot it gets. I think I was born in the wrong state."

"You're welcome to come down here any time – if Pamela won't take you, I will. You're great with the kids and excellent company."

"That's good to know. I love it down here altogether, Roxy. My dad would be devastated if I left Boston before high school was over. I couldn't leave him, anyway."

Roxy pursed her lips. "Roxy told me your mother left when you were very young."

"I was only four, when she told my father she wanted out of Boston – without us. I barely remember her. All I know are the things my father tells me. Most of them aren't good things, which I can understand. She shattered his heart. He's never even tried to date again."

"Wow," Roxy breathed. "I'm sorry that happened to you. Have to say though, you're extremely well-adjusted and level-headed for a girl who has lived all these years without a mother. My mother was around, but she was a drunk. I certainly wasn't this responsible at your age."

Acelynn shrugged. "Aunt Pamela is always there for me, and … I don't know. I've never wanted to become my mother. I've never wondered about her or wished she was around. I just wanted to be the best person I could be. I guess I see that as the opposite of her."

Roxy didn't say anything else. Acelynn seemed to have come to terms a long time ago with her mother's departure, so there was no reason to open up old wounds.

They watched the kids play for another hour or so, until Pamela and Chase came to claim them. The four Morans plus Acelynn went back home for a family dinner and to spend some quality time with Chase. They were in the middle of a loud, amusing board game when Acelynn received a text from Jeremy.

_Need to talk. Can you go out?_

Acelynn pressed her lips into a firm line. Pamela had explained Chase's position with Delta Force, so Acelynn knew how important and precious each minute with her uncle could be. She set her phone to the side and took her turn in the game.

"Everything all right, Ace?" Pamela asked.

She nodded. "Jeremy was asking if I could go out. Said he needs to talk, but I'm going to tell him to see if Amanda or Emmalin can meet up with him."

"Jeremy?" Chase inquired with a raised eyebrow.

"Sherwood," Pamela answered. "Colonel Sherwood's son. He and Acelynn met a couple of weeks ago and they're getting to be really good friends."

Chase had been married to Pamela long enough to know what that combination of hidden tone and the discreet look in her eye meant.

"You know, I'm going to be back for a few days, at least," Chase informed Acelynn. "You don't need to stay here on my account. Tell Jeremy you can go out, but you need to be home by eleven."

Acelynn smiled and kissed her uncle on the cheek. "Thanks, Uncle Chase."

_Just need to be home at eleven. Want to pick me up?_

_Be there in ten._

Acelynn set her phone down and continued the game with her family until Jeremy knocked on the door. Chase greeted the younger man at the door, making it clear that Acelynn was to be in the house by eleven o' clock and in the same shape as when she left. Acelynn was slightly embarrassed, but Jeremy took it all in stride, shaking Chase's hand and promising both to have her home on time and not to leave the post.

"Ready?" Acelynn asked, appearing from the room.

"Ready," Jeremy confirmed. "Thanks for letting me steal her away for a while."

Chase hugged Acelynn. "Of course. You two be careful."

He watched them from the door to make sure Jeremy opened the car door for Acelynn and drove away safely. When he turned around, Pamela was standing there with a silly smile on her face.

"I guess we know now what Katie will have to go through when she starts dating," Pamela teased.

Chase smiled, slightly embarrassed. "She's my niece too, and I want to make sure she's treated right. I thought you said they were just friends?"

"They are," Pamela frowned.

Chase put his arm around his wife and kissed her forehead. "You didn't see the relief in his eyes when Ace walked into the room, Pamela. It's the same relief I feel every time I come home and set eyes on you. Like everything's going to be all right."

Pamela just smiled and kissed her husband. The part about Acelynn's involvement with Jeremy Sherwood could wait for later; she was going to cherish the moments with Chase while she had them.

.&.

There wasn't a lot to do on post after eight, so Jeremy drove them to an isolated parking lot before walking Acelynn to where they could see a unit doing some night jumps.

"This is pretty cool," Acelynn breathed as she sat next to him in the grass. "Are we supposed to be here though?"

Jeremy shrugged. "I come here a lot – pretty sure they've seen me, but no one has said anything. As long as we don't make a scene."

Acelynn nodded and watched as the men completed their jumps. She'd never seen anything like it. After a few minutes, she broke out of her awe and nudged Jeremy with her elbow.

"All right, you said you needed to talk. Let's hear it."

Jeremy took a deep breath and pointed at the men jumping out of the airplane. "That. That's what I wanted to talk about. I'm going to enlist in the Army."

Acelynn's breath caught and her heart skipped a beat. She had only known Jeremy for not even three weeks, but they got along well enough for her to be concerned about his decision.

"Have you talked to your parents about it? I've only met your mom a few times and your dad the once – I can see him being thrilled but not your mom."

"You're right, my mom was _not _excited about it. But once we talked about it, why I want to enlist, she was much more open to the idea."

Acelynn swallowed. "Why _do_ you want to enlist?"

"The college money would be great. I still want to go to college. Architecture has always fascinated me. But I look at my father – he's a great man, Acelynn. He can be hard sometimes and I know that. We've had a lot of differences, but I still look up to him. Besides serving a country that I love, I feel like I'm giving back to him in a way."

"I could see that," Acelynn agreed. "When you put it that way, I think you're doing a really selfless thing."

Jeremy gave her half of a smile. "Thank you. I wish Amanda saw it that same way."

"She doesn't?" Acelynn frowned. "I figured with her dad being the post commander and all …"

"That's the problem, actually. Amanda's appreciative of the life she's had, but it isn't a life she wants forever. I mean, who knows what would happen with us or with my Army career, but she isn't even open to the possibility. We got in a big fight about it tonight."

"I'm sure she just wasn't prepared for an announcement like that. If she really likes you, she'll come around."

"I don't know," Jeremy said, shaking his head. "Said there's some guy in her class at school who she's been close to for a while now, and she was waiting for some sort of sign of which one of us was right for her. She's taking my enlistment as her sign."

"Wow," Acelynn sighed. "I guess I don't know Amanda really well either, but I never would have guessed she would give up that easily."

"Amanda and I have been friends for a long time. We'll get over this and be friends again, but I don't know if it'll ever be the same."

A few minutes of silence reigned between them before the night jump was over and Jeremy suggested they go back to the car. Once they were there, though, he didn't start the ignition.

"I'm sorry if this was too much," Jeremy apologized. "Even that first time I met you, Ace, it was so easy to talk to you and be around you. The whole time I was fighting with Amanda, all I could think about was getting it over with so I could talk to you."

"It's not a problem, Jeremy. You're my friend, and hopefully even after the summer we can stay in touch."

"I hope so, too," he smiled. "Guess I better not keep you too long, huh? You've probably got some boyfriend who won't be thrilled about you being out late with another guy."

"No," Acelynn shook her head. "Alex and I just broke up – right before I left Boston, actually. Like as I was leaving my house to go to the airport."

"What happened?" Jeremy frowned.

"He didn't want me coming to Carolina this summer." She took a deep breath. "Alex and I have been together for almost three years – since we were fourteen. My mom and dad started out that way, and he is really sentimental about it. He'd like to think we're going to end up like they did."

"And you don't?"

She shook her head again. "When I was four years old, my mother left us. She had never been outside of Boston and she wanted to experience life. Daddy told her to take her time and then come back; she left and the only other time we heard from her after that was when she sent him divorce papers. Why someone would want to pattern their life after a relationship that ended like that is entirely beyond me."

Jeremy watched as she chewed on a hangnail; her eyes glassed over. "Do you miss either of them?"

Her hands dropped to her lap. "I stopped missing my mom a long time ago. I mean, there are some things that I wish I had a mother for, but I've got my aunt, and that's more than enough for me. I don't really miss Alex, either, actually. I thought I would – how can I miss or even love someone who wants to hold me back? If he can't deal with me spending a summer in another state, then he can't deal with us being apart for college. I'm sixteen … just not ready to tie my life down to one person."

"That's understandable. I hope that if you're ever sad about it, you feel like you can talk to me."

Her blank expression brightened into a smile. "I already do."

"Good," Jeremy said with a nod. "Because it's looking like you and I are going to have to make this one hell of a summer."

Acelynn laughed. "You're damn right, and I think we should start now. What kind of shenanigans can we get into in two hours and … twenty three minutes?"

Jeremy grinned and told her to buckle her seatbelt. Acelynn felt the excitement running through her veins. Jeremy drove them not too far to the fishing pond on post.

"What, do you have poles in the trunk or something?" she asked.

Jeremy shook his head and pushed off his socks and shoes. He told Acelynn she'd probably want to leave hers in the car too, so once she was barefoot, he walked her down to the water.

"Ever been noodling?"

Acelynn raised her brown. "Noodling?"

Chuckling, Jeremy handed her a small flashlight and told her to point it down on the water. Bending over so he could get his hands in his water, he told her to be still and quiet. He bit his lip in determination; just as Acelynn was about to ask him what was going on, the action happened all at once.

Jeremy shot his hands down into the water. He nearly slid on the loose earth under his feet, but when he caught his balance, he came up with a fish flailing about in his bare hands.

"Oh. My. Gosh. Are you kidding me right now?" Acelynn's eyes were wide and shocked.

Jeremy threw the fish back in the water and took the flashlight from her hands. "Not kidding at all – and now it's your turn, Ace."

She shook her head slowly. "Oh no, Jeremy Sherwood. There's no way."

"Come on," he urged her. He moved them to a different part of the pond where he could set the flashlight on a nearby rock, then pulled her hands with his down into the water. "Now, you've gotta let a couple of them swim through your hands so the other ones think it's safe."

Acelynn winced and tried not to squeal as she felt the scaley creatures swim through her hands. They went back and forth as though she had created a new obstacle for them to entertain themselves with.

"All right, next one is yours," Jeremy said, removing his hands and grabbing for the flashlight. He shined it down on the water so she could see what she was grabbing at, and they waited patiently.

She squeezed her eyes shut and when the next fish came through her hands, she closed them. She had the fish by the tail; it splashed and flailed around with panicked force until she lost her grip and the thing fell back into the water.

"Not bad," Jeremy said, laughing with her as he wiped water away from his face.

"Thank you," Acelynn said, wiping her hands on her shorts before securing her hair back with an elastic. "I want to go again."

"You're sure?" he asked in surprise.

Acelynn nodded eagerly, so Jeremy held the flashlight for her again. It took a few tries, but an hour later, Acelynn was an expert noodle.

"I knew you had it in you," Jeremy encouraged, high-fiving her. "Way to go, kid."

He pushed a small wave of water in her direction; it caught Acelynn off-guard. She sputtered from the water that had splashed her. Once recovered, she scowled and splashed Jeremy right back. Before long, it was a full-blown water war.

"Hey! You kids! Get out of that pond!"

The froze in place, snickering at the MP coming their way. They high-tailed it out of the water and into Jeremy's car.

"Your seats are going to be soaked," Acelynn chuckled. "But you started it."

"You're right, I did." He buckled his seatbelt and started the ignition. "Let's get you home a little early – maybe I'll balance out the points I'm going to lose by bringing you home soaking wet."

Sure enough, both Pamela and Chase were concerned at the state Acelynn came home in. Chase took more of the fatherly role, while Pamela tried to hide a smile as she directed Acelynn to the bathroom with some dry clothes.

"I guess you had a good time," Pamela said with the door shut behind them.

Acelynn nodded. "I did. We had a good talk, and then Jeremy taught me how to noodle."

Pamela frowned. "Is that a new term I should be aware of? Like spooning?"

Acelynn laughed and explained her newest fishing skill. "We had a lot of fun. I think we'll make great friends."

"Just friends?" Pamela asked suspiciously. "Because your uncle seems to think Jeremy had a little more than a friendly look in his eye when you walked out of the bedroom tonight."

"Just friends," Acelynn confirmed. "He was upset about some stuff and just needed someone to talk to. It's easy for us to talk to each other."

"Well, I'm glad you found a friend down here. Be careful though, okay? If Chase is right, you don't want to lead Jeremy on."

"Right," Acelynn agreed. "I'm going to take a shower. Thanks for bringing in the dry clothes."

She waited for her aunt to leave the bathroom before undressing and stepping into the warm water stream. As the pond water washed away from her body, she couldn't help but wonder if maybe her uncle Chase was right – and if he was, was the look in Jeremy's eye in any way related to the sinking feeling in her chest when Jeremy told her he was enlisting?


	3. More Life Left to Go

Acelynn shivered and hugged her arms across her chest as she walked with Jeremy and Emmalin out of the post theater.

"I don't know what possessed me to let the two of you drag me to that zombie movie," Acelynn said, shaking her head. "I'll have nightmares even after I go to Boston."

Emmalin chuckled. "It wasn't _that _bad."

Acelynn gave her a pointed look. "You watched the entire thing from behind your hands, Emmalin Holden. That doesn't count."

The girls laughed again. Jeremy just shook his head; they were quite the pair. Amanda was out with her new boyfriend, so she had declined the invitation for the movies but promised to hang out with them soon. Jeremy figured it was just as well. Maybe he wasn't ready to be around her yet.

Except that maybe there was a certain someone making it easier for him to get over Amanda quickly. Acelynn was two years younger than he was, but she got it. Whatever he said, she could relate to it, or at least empathize. Emmalin was a great friend and he had known her forever, but not having a mother had aged Acelynn beyond her years. Jeremy supposed that had something to do with it. More and more he was enjoying spending time with her, for it eased his nerves and made him feel less tense about enlisting, whatever the reason.

It made sense to drop Acelynn off first and then Emmalin, but since Emmalin's curfew was earlier, they dropped her off at home before deciding it was a nice enough night to take a walk on the beach. Acelynn called her aunt and uncle to make sure they knew where she was going, then Jeremy drove them off-post.

"If zombies start coming up out of the water or something, I'll never forgive you," Acelynn teased. She rubbed her arms. "It's colder out here."

"Oh, here." Jeremy pulled off his jacket and helped her get her arms into the sleeves. "I think it feels nice."

"You'd think living in Boston I'd be used to the cold weather. I hate it though. I keep telling Aunt Pamela and Roxy that I was born in the wrong state."

"Maybe you should move down here," Jeremy said, only half-jokingly.

"Don't think I haven't thought about it," Acelynn answered, entirely serious. "Everything is so different down here. It's warm all the time, and the people are so inviting."

"I'm down here," Jeremy said, teasing her.

Acelynn laughed. "Yes, you're down here. And Emmalin. You two are really great friends, and I've only been here a little more than a month. Back in Boston, all I really had were Alex's friends. When you start dating someone that young, your life kind of centers around them."

"Sounds like maybe you're missing him a little bit," Jeremy posited, ignoring the pang of jealousy that formed in his chest.

Acelynn shook his head. "He called this afternoon. Said he just wanted to check in – get that awkward first conversation after the break up over with – but … I don't know. I think there was more he wanted to say. It's just – it's weird, Jeremy. I've known Alex my whole life and we've been together for so long. Shouldn't that mean something?"

"Not if it's not meant to be," Jeremy returned. "I don't mean to sound corny or cliché or anything, and I get what you're saying. I think it's great that you have someone in your life who has always been there and who really knows you, but it could have just as easily been a girl friend. You and Alex, forgive me for saying it, but you just seem more miserable than happy when you talk about him."

"You're right about that. The last year – maybe even longer – it just seemed like everything happened out of habit. Football games and homecomings and holidays with our families. Junior prom, baseball games." She took a deep breath and stopped to look at him. "I applied to USC before I even came down here, but now I really want to get in. I don't want to go back to Boston. I'd miss the hell out of my dad, but if I go back, it's all going to be the same. Alex will start talking about getting back together because I'm home again, and my dad will be there to hover and overwhelm me because he's so afraid that I'll leave like my mom did."

Jeremy took her hands in a friendly gesture. "Then move down here now, Ace. You know you're happy here. We don't just have to have one hell of a summer and then be email buddies – we can keep being friends. I'll come out here whenever I get a free weekend – maybe I'll even end up on Fort Marshall. I'll be able to come see you in Columbia."

Her shoulders slumped. "If I get in to USC. What if I just want to be here because it's not Boston?"

"You've got some things to think about," Jeremy nodded. "Whatever you decide, I'm behind you."

"I know," Acelynn smiled, going up on tiptoe to kiss his cheek. "Thanks, Jeremy."

"No problem. Now come on – I'll race you back to the car. Loser gets eaten by zombies!"

Acelynn laughed as he took off, running behind him and making it to the car just as he locked the doors from inside the car. He gave her a hard time before unlocking them and letting her in the car.

"You're a jerk," she giggled. "But thanks for not letting the zombies eat me."

Jeremy laughed. "It'd be a boring summer if I did that."

.&.

Acelynn woke with the sun a couple of weeks later. She could her aunt yelling at the kids from the front of the house. Rubbing her eyes, she grabbed a ponytail holder to rein in her dark locks as she treaded out to the kitchen.

"What in the world is going on?"

Pamela sighed, and Acelynn could see she was near tears. "Chase is gone. He left in the middle of the night and while I understand that's difficult for your cousins, I can't seem to be able to get them to do _anything _this morning."

Acelynn glanced at the clock; if the kids were going to be on time for day camp, they needed to be on the way in about ten minutes. "Okay, why don't you go sit down with your coffee. I'll take care of this."

Pamela thanked her, walking off with her fingers pinching the bridge of her nose. Acelynn kneeled down Katie's and Lucas's level and took a deep breath.

"I know you guys are missing your dad already, but so is your mom."

"He didn't even tell us he was leaving!" Katie whined.

Acelynn sighed. "I know, and it isn't fair. But your daddy's job is very important, and I know he'll be back here with you just as soon as he can be. In the meantime, you've got to be helpers to your mom, just like me. Don't you think that's what Uncle Chase would want?"

Both of the kids nodded, although Acelynn could tell they were still bummed out. She couldn't say she blamed them. They were really too young to understand the full degree of the dangers of Chase being in Delta Force, but they were old enough to understand it was something to be scared about.

They finished their breakfast and dutifully gathered their things for camp. Acelynn quickly changed her clothes and hopped in the van with Pamela. On the way back to the house, Pamela thanked Acelynn again for her help.

"Sure you don't want to just move down here?" Pamela teased.

Acelynn shrugged and filled her aunt in on her conversation with Jeremy. "I don't know what to do still. I just keep thinking about how she left. I can't do that to my dad."

"She left and didn't come back," Pamela corrected. "Your dad would know that's not what you're doing. And what's he going to do when you go to college anyway?"

"I think he expects me to go to a college in or near Boston. Every time he talks about schools, it's always BU or Northeastern or Emerson."

"Do you really want to move away your senior year of high school?"

"No, not really," Acelynn admitted. "But college – can you keep a secret?"

Pamela gave her a pointed look. "Are you really asking me that?"

Acelynn smiled. "I applied to USC and listed your address as my mailing address for the summer. If I get accepted, I'm going to USC. I actually submitted my application at the beginning of the last semester, before I even know I would love it down here and kind of on a whim. Now though … I really want to get in."

Pamela smiled as they pulled back up to the house. "Acelynn, I really do think that's great, but I think you need to talk to your dad about this. He needs to be able to prepare himself for the possibility of you leaving Boston, let alone Massachusetts."

"I know, you're right. But I want to talk to him about it in person. I'm hoping I'll have my acceptance letter by then, and we can talk about it when I go home."

"Well, if you decide to come back here, you know you have a place to stay."

"I have no worries about that," Acelynn smiled.

.&.

That Friday, the day before Fourth of July, Pamela retrieved the mail before she and Acelynn headed over to the playground with Roxy and all the kids. A grin spread over her face as she handed her niece a white envelope.

Acelynn's eyes floated to the return address. "It's from South Carolina."

"Open it!" Roxy demanded. "I've been waiting for this all week."

"You've been waiting?" Acelynn scoffed. "My whole future is in this envelope."

"Just open it," Pamela prodded.

The two older women gathered around Acelynn as she tore open the envelope. Her eyes quickly read over the words and she squealed. "I got in!"

Pamela and Roxy hugged her tightly. They were ecstatic that Acelynn would be coming back to Carolina – once she talked her father into the idea, of course. Right now though, that wasn't a concern.

"I have to tell Jeremy. Is it okay if I go over there?" Acelynn asked.

"Of course," Pamela agreed. "Keep your phone on you – you know all the rules."

"Yes, ma'am," Acelynn answered even as she took off running. It was a good walk to the Sherwood house, but she didn't care. She had a lot of excited energy to use.

She thought more about Jeremy on her way over there. She would never have thought it possible to call someone her best friend in just over six weeks, but she knew that whether she was up north or down south, she and Jeremy would always be more than just 'email buddies'. Even if she didn't mean that much to Jeremy, she would do whatever it took to keep their friendship from faltering. There was still that not-so-small nagging of something more than friends in the back of her mind, but she ignored it. She wasn't going to ruin a good friendship when she found it.

"Acelynn, are you okay?" Denise asked at the door.

"Yes, Mrs. Sherwood," Acelynn said, trying to catch her breath. "I just have some exciting news so I kind of ran the whole way here. Is Jeremy home?"

"He's in his room. You're welcome to go back there if you'd like."

"Thank you!" Acelynn said before heading back to Jeremy's room.

He was there on his bed, strumming at his guitar and looked up when she appeared in his doorway. "Ace, I didn't know you were coming over here. Why are you so out of breath?"

"I ran all the way over here," she laughed. "Remember I told you I applied to USC?"

He jumped off his bed. "Did you get in?"

She nodded with a grin and handed him the letter. He read over it before sweeping her up in a huge hug. "Acelynn, I'm so proud of you."

"Thank you," she replied. "I'm pretty proud of myself. I'll still have to get this squared away with my dad, but I think I can make him understand. Still going to come see me in Columbia?"

"Every chance I get," Jeremy assured her. "We're going to celebrate this tomorrow."

"Tomorrow is Fourth of July," Acelynn reminded him.

"After all the stuff with our families. Just make sure you can be out with me tomorrow night."

"All right, I will."

"Come on, let's go tell my mom the news," Jeremy suggested. "I'm sure she's wondering what all this commotion is about."

Indeed, Denise had been wondering. She was just as ecstatic as the teenagers were. Jeremy offered Acelynn a ride back home, and the girl eagerly accepted. Denise watched them go out the door, wondering with a smile if her son had any idea how in deep he was with Acelynn.

.&.

Acelynn knocked on the Holdens' door later that evening, excited for a girls' night with Amanda and Emmalin. They had an evening of junk food, sappy movies, and a lot of talking planned. It had been a while since Acelynn had girls she felt comfortable around to spend time with.

"The girls are upstairs," Claudia Joy announced. "Supper should be ready soon."

Acelynn bid her aunt goodbye; Pamela stayed to visit with Claudia Joy for a few minutes. Acelynn waved and dropped her overnight bag as she entered Amanda's room.

"Finally," Emmalin teased. "I've been waiting to be able to congratulate you for getting into USC!"

"We both have," Amanda agreed. "That's so great!"

"Thanks," Acelynn said. "I'm really excited to be closer to here soon."

After supper, the girls sat outside with their junk food for a while. What started out as Truth or Dare turned mostly into a game of Truth. Acelynn had seen the mischievous smile in Emmalin's eye all evening, and finally the question she was dreading came out.

"What's up with you and Jeremy?"

Acelynn shook her head and looked immediately to Amanda. "Nothing, we're just really good friends. That's all."

Amanda shrugged and smiled. "Ace, it isn't going to bother me if there is something going on. Jeremy and I are friends, and we just weren't meant to be more. I think I was kind of over it before he even told me he was enlisting."

Mention of the enlistment stabbed at Acelynn's heart, like it did every time somebody brought it up. "I don't know. I guess maybe I have had a thought or two that there might be more there. I'm not that far out from breaking up with Alex, and he's getting ready to go to basic. I'll be in Boston … it just doesn't make sense right now. We're friends, and that's what's most important."

The Holden girls seemed to accept that answer, so Acelynn didn't elaborate. Still, it was on her mind for the rest of the evening. If these girls could see there was something else possibly brewing between her and Jeremy, who else knew? Did Jeremy know?

The questions inundated her mind and kept her awake long after Emmalin and Amanda had fallen asleep.


	4. If You Say Stay to Me

"So what's this big Fourth of July date I hear you have?" Pamela asked her niece as they worked together on cleaning up the house that morning.

Acelynn rolled her eyes. "It isn't a date. Jeremy's just helping me celebrate getting into USC, that's all."

"You two have certainly gotten close quick."

"Well, we get each other. He's my best friend."

Pamela smiled to herself and changed the subject. "How did your father take the news of USC?"

"I think he was happy for me, actually," Acelynn breathed. She poured soap into the dishwasher and closed the door before starting it. "It was a really positive conversation. Just like you said, dad acknowledged that I was getting older and that I might want to go away for college, but that didn't mean I was running away like she did."

"That's great, Ace. Do you feel better about your decision, then?"

Acelynn nodded. "I really do. I feel like everything's coming together. Now if I can just make it through senior year."

"You'll do fine," Pamela assured. "Let's go find your cousins and get them ready for the Holdens' party."

.&.

Claudia Joy had outdone herself on the Independence Day celebration. The food, the decorations, the entertainment – it was all amazing. And, spending the holiday on an Army post added to the patriotism of it all for Acelynn. She had never been prouder to be an American.

The Moran family were seated with the LeBlanc's. Acelynn cracked up listening to Finn tell about his class and the song they were going to perform that afternoon. Between speeches and performances, she visited with Emmalin and Amanda and of course Jeremy. They were all excited for her to attend USC after graduating high school; Acelynn knew she had found true friends here on Fort Marshall.

"I'm going to watch the fireworks with some friends from near the pond tonight," Amanda said when the girls were inside helping Claudia Joy gather dessert plates. It was nearly sundown, and more than likely the party would be wrapping up soon. "Acelynn, you should come, too."

"Thanks, but I can't."

Amanda frowned. "Emmalin's coming with me, too."

"Jeremy and I have plans after all the family stuff is done," Acelynn replied with a slight blush to her cheeks.

Amanda's eyes grew. "Oh, really?"

"It's nothing, Amanda, really. He's excited for me about USC and wants to help me celebrate. No offense to you or Emmalin because you know I love both of you girls, but Jeremy's become my best friend down here. That's all there is – that's all I was feeling before."

"If you say so," Amanda told her skeptically. "But I see the way he looks at you, Ace. He never looked at me like that before."

Claudia Joy walked in then to check the girls' progress, and that ended the conversation. Acelynn desperately wanted Amanda to understand where she was coming from. Having people in her life like Jeremy and Amanda and Emmalin meant the world to Acelynn. She wasn't about to risk any of that on some silly summer romance.

But was it really a risk with Jeremy? They had so much fun together, and she was always herself around him. She could tell him anything. Yes, she was attracted to him. But their friendship was so new …

She stopped dead in her tracks as a strange feeling came over her. Acelynn frowned; she couldn't pinpoint exactly what that feeling was. Sadness, maybe? Just the feeling that something was wrong. The sensation was momentary however, so she shrugged it off. Probably she was just a little overwhelmed from the continued implications from so many people that she and Jeremy had more going than just a friendship.

Shaking her head, Acelynn continued outside with the dinner plates.

.&.

After dark, Acelynn helped Pamela corral Katie and Lucas so the four of them could head home. Observant of her niece's sudden tension, Pamela didn't say much to her about the evening with Jeremy until they were back at the house.

Acelynn was changing from the sundress she had worn to the Holden's into her red bikini. She topped that with jean cutoff shorts with a faded American flag print across the front and a loose, blue racerback tank top. The only tip Jeremy had given her was that they would be on the beach so that she could dress appropriately.

"Ready for your surprise celebration?" Pamela asked while Acelynn waited on the front porch for Jeremy to pick her up.

"I think so," Acelynn replied.

"You seem tense?"

"I don't know, I've had this kind of weird feeling come and go all day. Just wondering what it's from, I guess."

"Are you nervous about tonight?" Pamela inquired, not at all teasing or implying.

Acelynn shrugged. "Amanda and Emmalin both are pretty adamant that Jeremy and I have a thing for each other. Maybe we do but – I don't want to end up with Jeremy like I did with Alex. He was my best friend for a long time before we started going out and now we can barely speak to each other. Jeremy gets it – whatever _it _is – and I want to hold on to this friendship for as long as I can. Especially with him enlisting and all."

Pamela took a second to think about her reply. "Acelynn, sweetheart, I do get what you're saying. Really. I know how important having close friends is to you, and that you don't really have that in Boston for a lot of different reasons. But, I want to tell you something else – think carefully before you pass up anything more than friends. With anyone, not just Jeremy. You're young, yes, but when love hits you, it really hits you. You don't want to miss out on something great because you were so anxious to hold on to something good."

Jeremy's headlights lit up the street, and Acelynn took a deep breath as she stood. "Thanks, Aunt Pamela. Really."

The girl hugged her aunt fiercely, catching Pamela off-guard. It occurred to Pamela that these were the kind of conversations Acelynn's mother should have been around to have with her, and that's why it meant so much to Acelynn.

"I'm glad you're here, Ace."

Acelynn pulled away with a smile. "Me, too."

"No curfew tonight, but don't be out too late, all right?"

"Yes, ma'am. See you later."

.&.

Being a holiday, there were more people on the beach than either of them would have normally expected. Still, Jeremy managed to hunt them down a semi-private spot a little further down from the main access. He spread out a big blanket, and they laid back to watch the remnants of fireworks still being shot off.

"It's a good night for this," Jeremy commented.

"I think you're right."

He looked over to her. "Then what's wrong?"

She pushed herself up to lean on one elbow and shrugged. "Just had a weird feeling all day. I don't know why."

"A weird feeling like what?"

Acelynn took a deep breath and laid back down. "Like something terrible is about to happen."

Jeremy rolled to his side and took her hand. "Everything's going to be fine, Ace. You'll see. Senior year will fly by – believe me – and then you'll be at USC. And you said your dad was okay with you going out-of-state, right?"

"Surprisingly supportive," Acelynn said with a small smile. "I talked to him again this afternoon before he went in for his shift, and he told me he was really proud of me."

Jeremy smiled back at her. "Good. I'm proud of you too. You know, if it weren't for you, I'd probably still be moping about Amanda."

Acelynn took a deep breath. "Well, that's what friends are for – to get you out of your rut and help you be happy."

Jeremy wasn't sure what to say then. He'd been getting just as much of a hard time about Acelynn from his mother and friends as she had been getting from Pamela, Roxy, and the Holden girls. Enlisting had him thinking about a lot of things, and he could deny that Acelynn was up there on his list of thoughts.

Entirely unsure of how she would react, Jeremy didn't let go of her hand when another round of fireworks started. He glanced at her from the corner of his eye, but she didn't seem nervous or panicked. So, he took another step and interlaced his fingers with hers.

Her nerves seemed to kick in then; Jeremy couldn't blame her. His heart was racing a mile a minute just holding hands with her. It didn't help to calm him at all when Acelynn took the next step and scooted closer to him, laying her head on his chest.

Jeremy let go of her hand and let his fingers sift through her soft, dark hair. It was something he had thought of doing before, but never imagined he would actually have the chance. He began to wonder if he was ruining a good friendship when she looked up at him and asked just that question.

"Everyone's been saying they see this in how we are with each other," Acelynn told him quietly. "But you're my best friend, Jeremy. I don't want to lose that."

"I don't either," he assured her, sitting them both up. "We can stop this now, if you want to. We'll never let it go any further, and no one has to know we even talked about it."

Acelynn leaned back against his chest, letting her face rest momentarily in the crook of his neck. "We're just so young. I'm not saying it wouldn't work, but the odds are stacked against us."

"I know," he whispered, putting an arm around her waist and again lacing his fingers through hers. "I promise I'm always going to be around for you, Acelynn. Whether we give this a shot now or not, if we stop being friends or whatever – call me, show up on my doorstep anytime. You'll always have a friend in me."

"Same here," Acelynn promised, looking up at him. She thought about what Pamela had told her, considered the flutterings in her stomach and her heart every time Jeremy was near and took a deep breath. "We'll never know if we don't try, right?"

Jeremy smiled. "You're right about that."

Acelynn smiled back up at him. Jeremy lifted his free hand to caress her cheek and leaned in a little closer. She smelled so good, and her skin was so soft. Acelynn's gaze traveled nervously from his eyes to his lips, but she didn't stop him. When he finally connected his mouth to hers, something clicked. Kissing Acelynn was like a sigh of relief – it was knowing with a gut instinct that everything was coming together like it was supposed to do.

She could have kissed him all night and been perfectly content. There were no qualms in her entire being that giving in to what she knew she had been feeling all along was the right thing to do. Once she had left Boston for Charleston, things seemed to happen pretty quickly, but all Acelynn could figure is that she was right where she was meant to be, and everything else was falling into place.

They stayed close while the fireworks dwindled off to the occasional explosion, and then Jeremy suggested he get her home.

"It's not too late, but I don't want to start this off getting you in trouble," he chuckled.

"No, that wouldn't be good," Acelynn agreed with a smile. Her phone buzzed in her pocket, so she answered it while Jeremy folded the blanket. "We're about to head home, Aunt Pamela."

"Good," Pamela replied; Acelynn could hear the tears in her aunt's voice. "You need to get here as quickly as you can."

That terrible feeling that had come and gone all day returned in full force. "What happened?"

"Just come home," Pamela urged. "We'll talk about it when you get here."

"Tell me now," Acelynn begged. "Is it Uncle Chase?"

"Just get home, Acelynn," Pamela nearly snapped before disconnecting the call.

Acelynn stared down at the phone in her hand. "I need to get home quickly."

"What's wrong?" Jeremy asked, taking her hand and leading them back up the beach.

"I don't know," Acelynn answered. "She wouldn't tell me over the phone, but I know she was crying. I'm afraid something happened to my uncle."

Jeremy hurried them up. "Well, then let's get you home."

.&.

Back at the Moran house, Jeremy walked Acelynn up to the front door and into the house. Roxy was sitting at the kitchen table with Pamela, urging her to drink whatever hot liquid was in the mug in front of her.

"I don't want to intrude, Mrs. Moran," he explained. "Just wanted to know if there's anything I can do to help."

"It may be a good thing you're here," Pamela said. "Come here, Acelynn."

Acelynn walked carefully to where her aunt was seated; Jeremy stayed close behind her. Pamela stood, took Acelynn's hands in hers and did her best not to break down before the news was out.

"Is it Uncle Chase?" Acelynn whispered, tears already spilling over.

Pamela shook her head. "It's not Chase. I got a call from Boston PD tonight."

Acelynn shook her head. "No."

Pamela nodded. "Your dad was shot breaking up a small riot. They told me that the doctors did everything they could do …"

"They did everything they could do and what?" Acelynn pressed. Her face was stoic but the tears fell as if they would never end. "Say it."

"Acelynn, come on," Jeremy said, reach for her arm. She sharply pulled away from him.

"I won't believe it until someone says it."

Pamela told Jeremy it was okay and took Acelynn's face in her hands. "He's gone, Acelynn. They couldn't save him."

Acelynn let her head fall, squeezing her eyes shut. Pamela once again began to sob, so Roxy pulled her back to the table and held her while she cried.

"Jeremy …" she whispered.

And he was right there to pull her into a strong embrace as she broke down. Her knees gave out, so he carefully lowered them down to the couch and let her cry as long as she needed to cry.


	5. Life in the Pain

A quick call home granted Jeremy permission to be out past his curfew, due to the circumstances. Denise and Frank both sent their condolences to Pamela and Acelynn, and asked that Jeremy keep them updated.

Roxy stayed up with Pamela overnight, and Jeremy followed Acelynn into her room. He was concerned that once she stopped crying, she just went blank. There was no expression on her face; she didn't seem sad or angry or … anything. He waited for her to lay down and then lay across from her, holding her hand.

"Acelynn, I'm so sorry," he whispered, pushing her hair behind her ear. "I wish I could change this for you."

She sniffled and let out a deep breath. "I should have been there. He wanted me to stay home so badly this summer. I should have listened."

"There's no way either of you could have known this would happen," Jeremy assured her. "He's in a dangerous line of work.

"Was."

"What?"

Acelynn rolled to her back and stared up at the ceiling. "He _was _in a dangerous line of work. He's gone now."

She buried her face in Jeremy's chest then. He was fairly certain she didn't cry, but just the same, he held her until sleep found them both.

.&.

A couple of days later, Acelynn and Pamela arrived in Boston. Acelynn used her key to get into her father's house, tearing up just a little as she turned on the lights. They would be here for a week, for the funeral and for Pamela to wrap up everything in her brother's estate.

"It's weird being here," she told Jeremy over the phone as she snuggled into her own bed that night. "I've been gone for just over a month, but it feels like forever. Doesn't help that my dad isn't here. People just keep coming by – mostly his work buddies – and I don't know what to say to them."

"They probably don't know what to say to you either," Jeremy returned. "When is the funeral?"

"Day after tomorrow. I wish we could just come back after the service. I can't do this social stuff anymore. Just want to be where my friends are."

"I don't mean to be insensitive, but will you just live here now?"

Acelynn shrugged. "I guess so. My dad left everything to Aunt Pamela's care, so I suppose that includes me. I hadn't thought that far, I guess."

"Everything's going to be all right, Ace. It isn't easy to see now, but you'll get through this. I'll be there for you."

"I know," she said quietly; she teared up again but for a different reason. "Listen, Jeremy, what we talked about the other night … I don't think it's a good idea for me right now. A big thing just happened and there's going to be a lot of changes – I'm not me right now."

Jeremy sighed. He'd thought she might do this. "It's okay, Ace. You need to take care of you."

"It doesn't mean that I don't want to be your friend. I want to be there when you ship off and write you letters – everything we talked about. I just don't think I can do it as your girlfriend."

"Hey," Jeremy replied. "You don't have to explain it to me. I told you, I'm always going to be here for you, and I know you'll always be there for me. I promise, I'm not going anywhere."

"Thank you," Acelynn said, seeming to breathe a sigh of relief. "I'm going to try and get some sleep. I'll call you when I can."

"Good night, Ace."

"Good night, Jeremy."

Acelynn disconnected the call and set her phone on the nightstand. It killed her to have to end things with Jeremy when they were really just getting started, but what else could she do? She just needed friends right then. Anything else would be too much with the emotional rollercoaster she was riding – and there was only more to come.

.&.

After the funeral – where Acelynn had continued with the blank expression on her face – more people came and went from her father's house. It wasn't easy, in a lot of different ways. Things were being packed up, but they still had to entertain everyone who had come out to mourn her father's death. She accepted their condolences and listened to what they had to say about how her father had touched their lives, but she didn't have much to say in return. The man had been all Acelynn had left, and now he was gone. Oh, she knew she had Pamela and the kids and Jeremy, but it just wasn't the same.

"Hey, Ace."

She dropped the plate she'd been cleaning off and it fell to the floor in several ceramic pieces. She hurried to pick them up and dropped them in the sink.

"Alex. You scared me."

He shoved his hands in his pockets. "I didn't mean to startle you. I just thought maybe you'd need a friendly face amidst all of this craziness."

_But not yours_, she thought to herself. "You've hardly talked to me all summer."

"Your dad died," Alex pressed, following her out to the back porch. "We've known each other nearly our whole lives, your father gets killed, and I'm supposed to just stay away?"

"I didn't ask you to be here."

Alex threw his hands up. "How much further away are you going to push me, Acelynn? Damn it, I've never wanted anything more than to be there for you and love you – why can't you just let me?"

"Because I'm sixteen, Alex. I've got my senior year and college – so much ahead of me."

"Why can't we experience all that together?"

Acelynn ran a hand through her hair. "Because you'll be at NYU and I'll be at USC and that's just too far for us to try and make things works, Alex."

He frowned. "There's someone else, isn't there?"

"I have new friends in South Carolina. I'm going to be there anyway – it's not a guy, if that's what you're thinking."

The back door creaked open to reveal Pamela and another, vaguely familiar woman coming towards them. Acelynn frowned in the attempt to recognize the other woman and, after a few seconds, she did.

"Alex, could you give us a few minutes, please," Pamela asked with a polite but stern tone.

He didn't seem to like it, but he agreed. Acelynn looked away when he bent to kiss her cheek, telling her he was around if she wanted or needed to talk. When the door shut behind him, Pamela moved to stand next to Acelynn.

"Acelynn, this is Elayne Hayworth. She –"

"I know who she is," Acelynn answered coldly. "What are you doing here?"

Elayne stepped forward. "I'm here for you, Acelynn. With your father gone, you'll need someone to take care of you."

Acelynn frowned and looked to Pamela. "But that's what Pamela is for. I know for a fact that Dad left custody of my to her after you left."

"Without your mother actually signing away her parental rights, I can't take guardianship of you."

"Then you've got to sign away your rights! You've been gone for _years_, and now you want to care? You can't do that!" Acelynn yelled; she was outraged.

"Please, Acelynn. I made a mistake – a huge mistake – in not contacting you when I moved back to Boston."

"You're in Boston? For how long?"

Elayne swallowed hard and looked at the ground. "Nine years."

Acelynn saw red. She lunged at her mother in a rage with fists flying. Pamela held her back, keeping Acelynn's hands at her sides. She hated seeing her niece like this, so she pulled the young girl into an embrace and glared at Elayne.

"How could you do that to her?" Pamela shook her head. "I'm keeping her until the end of the summer, like we planned. Until then, I suggest you find yourself an excellent lawyer because I'll get custody of her if it's the last thing I do."

Elayne straightened up and put her shoulders back. "Don't count on it."

The other woman stomped out of the backyard and out to the front drive through the gate, not even bothering to go through the house.

"I want to go home," Acelynn told her aunt. "I want to go back to Charleston."

"We will, sweetheart. As soon as this funeral is over, I'm going to put you on a plane back home. I'll finish up here."

Acelynn just nodded, wishing that for once she could cry when she wanted to and not just when she could no longer control the tears.

.&.

Jeremy waited impatiently at the Charleston airport for Acelynn to arrive. He had gotten there long before it was necessary, anxious to see her.

She had explained everything over the phone the day before – about Alex, about Elayne showing up at the funeral, about wanting to come back to Charleston. Roxy would continue to keep Lucas and Katie until Pamela returned; Acelynn would stay in the Moran house but be available to help Roxy as much as possible.

Finally, her face came into view. He could see that she was tired; her eyes were heavy and her skin was pale. He wondered when it was that she had last had a good night's sleep. She dropped her bag when she got to him, throwing her arms around his neck and nuzzling against his neck. Jeremy wrapped his arms around her and picked her up off the ground.

"Lord, Ace. You losin' weight?"

She nodded. "Haven't had much of an appetite. Going to have to get new jeans and stuff here soon."

"Well, it's just late afternoon. Do you need to check in with Roxy right away or do you want to go do something?"

Acelynn thought for a moment. "I'll call Roxy and tell her I landed and that I'll be back at the house by curfew. I know you probably don't want to go to the mall, but I do need some new clothes."

Jeremy could see that. He had seen that tank top on her before, and it was now nearly hanging off of her. He hoped that her appetite would come back sooner rather than later. It was all a process, he figured, of her getting through her grief.

Roxy was more than understanding. The kids were having a good afternoon, playing well together, and Roxy was able to get some things done around the house while they all played outside.

After she purchased a few new things that fit much better, Jeremy offered to take her for supper. He promised not to force her to eat but only asked that she try.

"I don't have to tell you this, I'm sure, but I want you to know that I don't want you to go back to Boston, Ace."

Acelynn nodded, nibbling on a french fry. "I don't want to go back to Boston. I want to stay here. You know you're a big reason for that, right?"

"We don't know where I'm going to end up," Jeremy reminded her.

"Let me have the little hope that's possible right now," Acelynn said with a small smile. "I'm only holding on to optimism right now because in my mind, Elayne's going to give up this ridiculous idea that we can be one happy family, I'll get to stay here with Aunt Pamela, graduate next year with Amanda and go on to USC. You'll be stationed here at Fort Marshall, and life will be just perfect."

Jeremy reached across the table to take her hand. "Well, then that's how it's going to work out. I haven't known you to be wrong yet."

Acelynn gave him a grateful smile. She knew that her aunt and uncle and even the other wives and the Holden girls were on her side, but for now Jeremy was the one that mattered most. He was her best friend; he didn't push her to feel something she didn't or be someone she wasn't. He just accepted her for who she was and then showed her nothing but support.

"My birthday's in a few weeks," she spoke up, anxious to change the subject.

"That's right," Jeremy replied. "Do you want to do something big?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. I'll know by then if I get to stay here or if I have to go back to Boston. I'll either be ready to celebrate big time or needing to do some irresponsible stuff to get my mind off of things."

Jeremy chuckled. "I won't be gone for basic yet. I'll plan something for you that will work in either situation."

"Thank you, Jeremy." Acelynn squeezed his hand. "You're the best friend a girl could have right now."

He smiled back at her; he cared about her, yes, but he just wanted to know right now that he was doing what he could to at least try to improve her situation. He'd do whatever it took to make sure she was going to be okay.

The thought crossed his mind that in a couple of months, she could be back in Boston, if things didn't work out. What would he do then? The same thing he would do if she was in Charleston or Columbia, he decided. He would see her as often as he could; maybe he would get stationed somewhere closer to Boston rather than Fort Marshall. Whichever the case, he could only hope that their friendship would remain strong.

"I should probably get back to Roxy and the kids," she finally said after they ate. "Even if things were going well earlier, that never lasts."

Jeremy smiled. "I'm sure that's right. Are you going to be okay on your own tonight?"

Acelynn nodded. "Haven't been sleeping much anyway. I'll probably just camp out on the couch in front of the TV until I'm too tired to be awake anymore."

"Well, if you decide you want some company, let me know. I don't know if Mom and Dad will let me be out another night, but maybe you can come crash on our couch, or we can get Amanda to stay with you."

Acelynn just nodded and turned her gaze out the car window. She had gone from right next to him to a million miles away in just a few seconds; Jeremy took that as his cue to give her a little space. She was overwhelmed right now and the last thing she needed was to have him making it worse.


End file.
